Fountain pen



April 13 1926.

J. c. ALFORD FOUNTAIN PEN Filed Mardi 5, 1925 lNi/ENTR Jseph G.

A'rroRNEYs Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

UNITED STATESc 'PATENT VXOFFICE.

JOSEPH CHURCHILL ALFORD, 0F MBEN, MISSISSIPPI.

FOUNTAIN PEN.

.Application` filed March 5, 1925. Serial No. 13,222.

' pen' are moved within the casing and covered or enclosed by a shield, the operationv of which is automatic with the movement of the pen. In other words, when the pen is projected the shield is separated and withdrawn and when the pen is witlidrawn'the4 shield is projected' and; closed. n

A further object is to provide a fountain pen` of the self-filling type. with improved construction of piston and improved operating 'means therefor.

A further object is to provide a fountain pen which will be leak-proof, which will be protected from dirt and contact with the pocket `of the user, and which embodies various improvements in the art as it is now known. f

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features ofv construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in-the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 isa view in longitudinal section through my improvedpen showing the pen projected and in operative position;

Figure 2 is a view partlyv inelevation and partly in longitudinal sectionshowing the pen withdrawn and covered by its shield; f

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view 'showing/ the casing and the shield in section and the other parts in elevation;

Figure 4'is a fragmentary view showing the casing, barrel andshield in section and the n holder in elevation; i

Flgure 5 is -a fragmentary view in longitudinal section showing the manner of" bringing the piston' elements into proper assemblage;

. Figure 6 is a perspective view of the pston elements .when'assembled;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the pen',

shield ;v

- Figure 8 is a view in transverse section on the' line 8 8 of Figure 2;

Figures 9 and 10 are views in section on the lines 9-9 and 10'-10, respectively, of Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a view in section through thepiston ring.

1 represents the casing of my improved fountain pen.` This casing 1 is cylindrical throughout the greater portion of its length but at its forward end is tapered as shownat 2. The casing 1 encloses an ink barrel 3 which is ofA general vcylindrical form and which has an annular flange 4 adjacent its rear end. An externally threaded sleeve 5 ts the outer end of the barrel and is screwed into the casing, as indicted at 6, and against the flange 4 so as to hold the permit it-rotary movement." y l A stuffing box 7 constituting a threaded plug, is screwed into the end of the barrel 3, as'shown at 8, and a milled collar 9 is v screwed onto the end of the barrel 3, abuts against the casing 1 and is fixedly secured by `a jam screw 10 projected through` the collar and against the barrel. The collar 9 has an internally threaded portion 11 to receiveA an externally threaded pluo' 12, the latter being also milled or rougzhened to barrel against longitudinal movement but -I facilitate its turning. This plug 12 is fixedj ly vsecured to a piston rod 13 which projects through the'stufing box 7 into the ink barrel, as shown. j

The forward end of the ink barrel has a restricted ink passage 14 into which the re-A duced end 15 of a longitudinally grooved feed bar 16 is guided. The. barrel 3 has at its forwardV end a cylindrical extension 17 enclosing the inner portion of the feed bar and also receiving a sleeve 18 around the feed bar. The pen 19 is securely held against Vthe feed bar when projected between the same and the sleeve 18, as Aclearly shown.Y i

On the extreme inner end of the rod 13 an enlargement 20, constitutingl a valve, is providedand is adapted when the plug 12 is screwed all the way in to close' against. 'a seat 21 and preventgthegpassage of the ink through the restricted portion 14. Y

The end ofntherod 13 adjacent the valve 20' is screw-threaded as shown at 22, and'on' this" threaded portion 22"a spider 23 has screw-threaded engagement, and between the spider23 and the valve 20 a piston ring 24 is mounted which fits the barrel 3 but has a central opening necessarily larger than the rod 13.

On the inner end of the stuffing box 7 I provide lugs 25 between which projections 26 on the spider 23 are adapted to be positioned to holdthe spider against turning movement when drawn to the position shown in Figure 5.

The casing 1 has longitudinal grooves 27 which receive laterally projecting keys 28 on a ring 29 which constitutes a portion of my improved shield A. The position of these keys 28 andthe grooves'27 prevent turning movement of the shield, but said ring is also formed with inwardly projecting keys 30 which engage in spiral grooves 31 in the cylindrical barrel extension 17 so that when the barrel is turned a longitudinal movement is imparted to the ring 29. This ring 29 has a pair of forwardly projecting spring arms 32 carrying semi-conical plates 33 attheir forward ends, which when projected forwardly engage the taper-v ing forward end of the casing 1 and move toward each other to enclose the pen, as shown in Figure 2.

The sleeve 18 around the pen and pen holder is formed with a key or keys 34 to move in spiral grooves 35 in the cylindrical barrel extension 17 so that when the barrel is revolved the pen holder .and the pen are.

projected or withdrawn as the case may be.

The grooves 31 are oppositely coiled so thatwhen the pen is projected, the shield A is withdrawn and when the pen is withdrawn, the shield A is projected. Hence, when the pen is in its outward position, the shield is in the casing, and when the pen is moved inwardly the shield functions to cover the pen and the forward end of the pen holder.

Turning movement is imparted to the barrel by manual manipulation of the collar 9. When the en is not desired for use the valve 20 can e movedagainst its seat `21 to prevent the possibility of leakage.

To fill the penythe operation is. asA follows: The rod 13 is drawn outwardly which will cause the enlargement 20 to en age the ring 24 and move it against the'spi er 23, forming la. suction plunger which will suck the ink into the barrel. When itfis desired to clean out the b'arrel and impart a recipro` eating movement to the plunger, the operation will be as follows: The plug. 12 is un` screwed torelease it from the ca 9, and the rod 13 is drawn outwardly unti the'spider.

23 is against the inner end ofthe stuing ,box 7 when the lugs 26 will engage' the lugs 25 and the'splder will be held against turning movement. While in this position 'the rod 13 is turned so as-toscrew .the rod through the spider and draw. the enlargement20 against the ring 24 and compress the ring between the enlargements and the spider, thus forming a complete piston or plunger. The rod is lthen moved lnwardly so as to move the piston in a direction to expel the air, which is' a movement toward the nib end of the pen.

In filling, the pen is inserted in the ink and the piston is drawn rearwardly, sucking v.the pen, and when the pen is projectedthe shield is withdrawn through the medium of the keys and grooves such as above explained.

The sleeve 18 has laterally projecting pins 40 which move in longitudinal grooves 41 in the casing l to prevent turning of the sleeve. Various slight changes and alterations might be made in the general` form ofthe parts described without departing fromomy invention, and hence I do not limit myselfl l to the barrel, a shieldy in the casing movable longitudinally relative to the casing, and means operated by the turning movement of the barrelto project and contract the shield so as to enclose the pen when the'latter -is withdrawn, and' other means causing the pen to be projected by the rotaryj'movement of the barrel and at the same time compelling the shield to be withdrawn.

2. A fountain pen," including a casing, a barrelhaving rotary mounting in the casing, a pen holder having longitudlnal movement re ative tothe barrel, -a shield around the outside of the barrel'and pen and comprising a pair of semi-conical plates, a ring', and arms connecting the plates and ring, -ke s onthe ring engaging 1n s iral .grooves in t e barrel, keys on the vpen older mounted in oppositely disposed spiral grooves in the barrel whereb when a` rotary movement is imparted to t e barrel the en 'holder and shield will be withdrawn andp projected, said casing havinga tapering forward end whereby the shield members'will be moved toward each other to enclose the en and .forward end vof the pen holder w len the latter is withdrawn, said shield being withdrawn when the pen holder and pen are projected.l

3. A fountain pen, including a fcasing, a barrel having rotary mounting'in the casing,

. a pen holder having longitudinal movement relative tothe barrel, a shield around the outside of the barrel and pen and comprising a pair of semi-conical plates, a ring, and arms connecting the plates and ring, keys on the ring engaging in spiral grooves inthe barrel, keys on the pen holder mounted in oppostely disposed spiral grooves in the barrel whereby when a rotary movement is imparted to the barrel the pen holder andl shield will be withdrawn and projected, said casing having a tapering forward end whereby the' shield members will be moved toward each other to `enclose the pen and forward end of the pen holder` when the latter is withdrawn, said shield being withdrawn when the pen holder and pen are projected, said 'pen holder having a grooved re-I` duced portion telescoping in a reduced outlet duct in the end of the barrel.

JosEi-)H CHURCHILL ALFORD. 

